Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Selenes role in this war was not only to fight against the giants. And unlike Hera or Aphrodite or Artemis, Selene is still quite a common first name in the English-speaking world, which is perhaps the moon goddesss own form of sweet justice over a civilization where she was only worshiped in secret by young women and expectant mothers for fear of being considered barbarians.. Selene and Endymion relief, Alessandro and Lancellotto Pusterla's gravestone, 16th century. [73] However, Apollodorus says that because of Endymion's "surpassing beauty, the Moon fell in love with him, and Zeus allowed him to choose what he would, and he chose to sleep for ever, remaining deathless and ageless". The first mention of the moon goddess in Greek mythology was probably in the Homeric Hymns. [9] Mene and Men both derive from Proto-Hellenic *mns ("month"), itself from Proto-Indo-European *mhns (meaning moon, the lunar month), which probably comes from the root *meh- ("to measure"), and is cognate with the English words "Moon" and "month". In Greek literature, Eos is presented as a daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, the sister of the sun god Helios and the moon goddess Selene. Her presence is felt in something as simple as the names of the days of the week. Selene, goddess of the moon, truly represented the moon itself to the Greeks. Updates? [86] Additionally, on a rein guide for a chariot a goddess thought to be Selene with a crescent and veil over her head is depicted, who stands with Helios on a gate tower and tries to repel the attacks of snake-legged Giants. Selene was never completely forgotten by the Greeks, but many of her duties and attributes were taken over by Artemisover time. All of these qualities bound Selene to the natural phenomena of time and seasons and the rejuvenation of nature as well, even apart from her ability to shed light. The three children have become much more well-known in general Greek literature than their parents, especially after the fall from grace of Hyperion, who stood by his brother Cronus in the latters war against Zeus and was banished to Tartarus for it. Secretive and shy, she enjoys flitting silently through the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot. Helius, Selene, Eos, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Nike, Boreas, Zephyrus, Astra) GREEK VASE PAINTINGS GALLERY 8 (83 IMAGES) Monday, which the ancient Greeks named after the moon in honor of the moon goddess Selene, is still called that today, even though we might have forgotten the origins. Worshiped as one of the important celestial lights of the heavens, Selene was also reputedly revered as a deity of agriculture and fertility. This article is about the Greek goddess. However, in the science fiction book The First Men on the Moon by H.G. Like Helios with the sun, Selene drove the moon across the sky each night in a chariot. Selene also has several other names. The animals, however, were almost always shown as pure white regardless of their type. ), The name Selene (Greek , translit. During the night, Selene would drive her chariot with the moon across the sky. Even if he were sleeping, he would not be parted from the goddess he loved by death. There are a number of stories about the moon goddess Selene in Greek mythology, in association with the other Greek gods, especially Zeus. [116] Pausanias also reports seeing stone images of Helios, and Selene, in the market-place at Elea, with rays projecting from the head of Helios, and horns from the head of Selene. Both of these Goddesses are also associated with Hecate. Accessed on 27 Feb. 2023. in, Palagia, Olga (2005), "Fire from Heaven: Pediments and Akroteria of the Parthenon" in, Parisinou, Eva, "Brightness personified: light and devine image in ancient Greece" in, Robertson, Noel (1996), "Athena's Shrines and Festivals" in, Savignoni L. 1899. [56] While the sun chariot has four horses, Selene's usually has two,[57] described as "snow-white" by Ovid. This is a relatively late text. "On Representations of Helios and of Selene", The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Sorabella, Jean, "A Roman Sarcophagus and Its Patron. Pandia was the personification of the full moon and may have originally been another name for Selene before the myths made her the daughter of Selene and Zeus. 500450 BCE. [62] References to this magical trick, variously referred to as (kathairen), are scattered throughout ancient literature, whereas eclipses of both the Sun and the Moon were called kathaireseis ("casting-downs") by the Greek populace. Omissions? Her Roman equivalent is Luna. According to Lucian, Selene had a rival for Endymions love named Myia. Her brother Helios shone as the sun, while her sister Eos was the goddess of the dawn. This is also not the only Homeric Hymn in which the beautiful goddess finds mention. [128], Originally, Pandia may have been an epithet of Selene,[129] but by at least the time of the late Hymn to Selene, Pandia had become a daughter of Zeus and Selene. Selene had an altar at Pergamon, at the sanctuary of Demeter, the goddess of spring. [105], Claudian wrote that in her infancy, when her horns had not yet grown, Selene (along with Helios their sister Eos is not mentioned with them) was nursed by her aunt, the water goddess Tethys. Pandia (or Pandia Selene) may have personified the full moon,[130] and an Athenian festival, called the Pandia, usually considered to be a festival for Zeus,[131] was perhaps celebrated on the full moon and may have been associated with Selene. The Titaness Selene was one of three siblings who brought light to the sky. The ancient Greeks saw her as the actual representation of the moon. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. Zeus slept with the human queen Alcmene, of which encounter Heracles was born. The lunar goddess was also important for her influence over female fertility cycles and childbirth. As punishment, he was either thrown out of Olympus or cast into an eternal sleep. Pandia Usually said to be the daughter of Selene and Zeus, Pandia was also sometimes given as another name for Selene herself. 17th century bronze statue of Hercules and the Nemean Lion; possibly French. Selene was a Titan goddess in Greek mythology, daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. [75] Cicero seems to make Selene responsible for Endymion's sleep, so that "she might kiss him while sleeping". And a memorial of her couch abides still neath the oaks; for mid the copses round was poured out milk of kine; and still do men marvelling behold its whiteness. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Hymn 31, To Helios, also speaks of the two sisters of Helios where the rich-tressed Selene is once again alluded to. [104] Zeus agrees, urged by Selene's complaints and having long intended to deal with the philosophers himself. The concept of Selene as the lunar goddess also made her an important goddess of childbirth and female fertility. [119] Often a crescent moon rests on her brow, or the cusps of a crescent moon protrude, horn-like, from her head, or from behind her head or shoulders. While Selene was known for pulling the moon across the sky in her silver . Selene then turned Lilaeus into a mountain, Mt. iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order [141], Selene played an important role in love magic. In her Full Moon state, she is Panselene or . The cave in Anatolia where Endymion was said to sleep became a holy place for Selene. They included: The lunar goddesses sometimes worked together. [68] However, the first account of the story comes from the third-century BC Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes, which tells of Selene's "mad passion" and her visiting the "fair Endymion" in a cave on Mount Latmus:[69], And the Titanian goddess, the moon, rising from a far land, beheld her [Medea] as she fled distraught, and fiercely exulted over her, and thus spake to her own heart: According to Hesiods Theogony, Selene was born of Hyperion and Theia. Seneca, Madness of Hercules 83; Hyginus, Fabulae 30; Aelian, On Animals 12.7 (citing Epimenides); etc. Helios was married to Perse, but he had quite a few extramarital affairs, and a number of children . Hesiod, Theogony 371ff; Apollodorus, Library 1.2.2; etc. In some versions of the story, the goddess abandoned her duty and left the night sky so she could be with the man she loved. [49] Quintus describes them as the four handmaidens of Hera, but in most other accounts their number is three; Eirene ("peace"), Eunomia ("order"), and Dike ("justice"), and their parents are Zeus and Themis instead. [122] As frequently depicted on Roman sarcophagi, Selene, holding a billowing veil forming a crescent over her head, descends from her chariot to join her lover, who slumbers at her feet. [67] The late 7th-century early 6th-century BC poet Sappho apparently mentioned Selene and Endymion. 80; Acusilaus, FHG 1 frag. In the Homeric Hymn to Selene, she bears the beautiful Pandeic to Zeus, while Alcman says they are the parents of Herse, the dew. The moon was thought to influence people in other ways, as well. What are Hades Powers that are Really Scary? Mene, a name that she was also commonly known by, meant the moon or the lunar month, from the root mens which meant month. This is an attribute that she shares with her Roman equivalent Luna, where the latin luna also means moon.. Together, they fittingly created three sources of celestial illumination. Endymion was, depending on the source, a prince in exile or a simple shepherd. She is usually portrayed either driving a chariot (see above) or riding sideways on horseback[111] (sometimes riding an ox, a mule or a ram). Though Hesiod made the Nemean Lion the child of Echidna, other authors wrote that Selene gave birth to it or brought it up at Heras request. [103], In Lucian's Icaromenippus, Selene complains to the titular Menippus of all the outrageous claims philosophers are making about her, such as wondering why she is ever waxing or gibbous, whether she is populated or not, and stating that she is getting her stolen light from the Sun, causing strife and ill feelings between her and her brother. Her grandparents are Gaia, (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Sky). Selene was written off and Artemis became the goddess of the moon, hunting, and animals. Selene was the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. Her name was spelt differently in the different dialects of the Greeks but the meaning was the same. She was essentially urban and civilized, the antithesis in many respects of Artemis, goddess of the outdoors. Selene (probably) and Helios adorned the east pediment of the Parthenon, where the two, each driving a four-horsed chariot, framed a scene depicting the birth of Athena, with Helios and his chariot rising from the ocean on the left, and Selene and her chariot descending into the sea on the right. The name of the moon goddess is surrounded by accounts of the consorts she had and their children. Way). Moon gods and goddesses have existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a very long time. [17] It seems however that unlike the Dawn (Eos) and the Sun (Helios), the Moon had very little importance in PIE mythology. [109] In red-figure pottery before the early 5th century BC, she is depicted only as a bust, or in profile against a lunar disk. For other uses, see, Detail of Selene from a Roman sarcophagus, A winged Selene seems to be unique to this. ", Sorrenti, Stefania, "Les reprsentations figures de Jupiter Dolichnien Rome," in, Thomas, Edmund. Although she counts as a goddess in her own right, Selene often gets associated with archer goddess, Artemis, who is also a moon goddess. Deciphering the Role of Helios, the Sun God of Greek Mythology. Does the sculpted girl speak to women too?" Different sources vary as to whether the chariot was golden or silver, but a silver chariot would seem to fit better with the goddess of the moon. Not only was she the goddess of the moon, but she was considered a personification of the moon itself and that was how she was portrayed by many of the old poets and writers. These three lunar goddesses were all important to the Greeks in different ways but it was only Selene who was considered the moon incarnate herself. [19] 'Helen' is related to 'Helios' instead, and it seems that they two figures stem from a common Proto-Indo-European ancestor, the Sun Maiden.[20][21]. Selene, one of the younger generation of Titans, was also the Greek goddess of the moon. [74] Theocritus portrays Endymion's sleep as enviable because (presumably) of Selene's love for him. She was the personification of the moon, but was also associated with lunar elements such as tides, months, and even lunacy. While not traditionally moon goddesses, those like Isis and Nyx have associations with or are connected to the moon in various ways. But on nights the moon could not be seen, there was a very good reason for her absence. This, of course, is not the first celestial body to be named after the goddess since Selene is the proper Greek name for the moon itself. As the moon, Selene occupied an important place in popular religion. [64][65] Those who brought down the Moon were thought to bring ill fortune upon themselves, as evidenced by the proverb ("you are bringing down the Moon on yourself") said for those who caused self-inflicted evils; some witches supposedly avoided this fate by sacrificing their children or their eyeballs. Selene was one of the daughters of the Titan gods Hyperion and Theia and the sister of the sun god Helios and the goddess of the dawn Eos. 2. In later eras, she became associated with madness as well. The moon goddess and Artemis were occasionally shown as companions. The goddess had one temple that was also an oracle near Thalamae in Laconia. Hyginus, preface to Fabulae. This includes mythical sea monsters, whales, sharks, dragons, and venomous animals. In Greek mythology, Selene was traditionally depicted as a beautiful young woman, with perhaps paler than usual skin. She drives her moon chariot across the heavens. [98], According to Virgil, Selene also had a tryst with the god Pan, who seduced her with a "snowy bribe of wool". As the embodiment of the moon, Selene and the movement of her chariot across the night sky was important for the Greeks to measure time. Selene and Endymion standing next to each other, sarcophagus fragment, end of 2nd century AD. H. G. Evelyn-White. [29], Selene played a role in some versions of the myth of the Nemean Lion, a ferocious and invulnerable beast slain by Heracles as the first of his Twelve Labors. Every evening, Selene ushered in nightfall and then drove her chariot through the night before giving way to dawn. [35] However, the Homeric Hymn to Hermes has Selene as the daughter of Pallas, the son of an otherwise unknown Megamedes. [78] In his dialogue between Aphrodite and Eros, Lucian also has Aphrodite admonish her son Eros for bringing Selene "down from the sky". I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming raiment, and yoked her strong-necked, shining team, drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she increases. Witchcraft has long been believed to have had a connection with the moon and it was no different in antiquity. Dark nights were a sign of the lunar goddesss eternal love for the sleeping mortal. Selene was so enamored of the young man that she left the sky to see him more closely. Privacy Policy. Pan, the god of the wild, supposedly seduced Selene while dressed in a sheepskin. Several lovers are attributed to her in various myths, including Zeus, Pan, and the mortal Endymion. Only a handful of religious centers of Selene are known from the ancient world. This article was most recently revised and updated by, From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Selene-Greek-and-Roman-mythology, Ancient Origins - Celestial Goddess Selene: The Ancient Greek Goddess of the Moon. That the myths contained a considerable element of fiction was recognized by the more critical Greeks, such as the philosopher Plato in the 5th-4th century bce. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. Hypothesis to the scholia on Pindars Nemean Odes. Selene leaving her chariot, Roman mosaic, Andalusia. Often when one god supplanted another in a particular domain, the stories that involved that god were changed to reflect this. According to Nonnus, Typhoeus battled Selene by chucking bulls at her, then violently rushing her. However, hers might not be a name that is quite as well-known. The altars to Selene were few and far between. 3. Let's take a closer look at her story. Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon. Whenever the moon could not be seen in the night sky, it was because Selene had paused to take in Endymions beauty once again. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. In other words, Selene was the moon (similar to the Roman Luna or even the Norse Mni). A variation of this symbol was the nimbus, which surrounded her head, depicting the celestial light she bestowed on the world. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. These were Eiar, Theros, Cheimon, and Phthinoporon, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. In this case, the story of Selene embracing Endymion, or Moon embraces Diver, refers to the sun setting and the moon rising. The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. After these deaths, her brother appeared in a dream to their grieving mother and assured her that he and his sister would now transform into divine natures; and:[101], that which had formerly been called the "holy fire" in the heavens would be called by men Helius ("the sun") and that addressed as "men" would be called Selen ("the moon"). This claim has been takenby Plutarch at first, and subsequently by modern astronomersto mean that she could predict the time and general area where an eclipse of the Moon would occur. [31], Ampelus was a handsome young male satyr and the first love of the god Dionysus. The name Selene is also quite popular in the English-speaking world. Offended, she sent a gadfly to sting the bull; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death. He soon discovered the source of Selenes distraction. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and sister of the sun god Helios and the dawn goddess Eos. Perhaps the most colorful ancient description of Selene comes from Homeric Hymn 32 (the Homeric Hymn to Selene). She fell madly in love with him and asked Zeus to let him stay asleep forever, remaining eternally young and beautiful (in some traditions, it was Endymion himself who requested this unending sleep). [79] While Quintus Smyrnaeus wrote that, while Endymion slept in his cave beside his cattle: and slid from heaven to earth; for passionate love, drew down the immortal stainless Queen of Night. It did not take long for Zeus to notice something was amiss. [32], Selene was rarely worshipped, at least in earlier periods of ancient Greek history. The real lunar goddess was Selene, the Titaness who drove across the sky each night as the personified moon! In fact, in the fifth century BCE, the comedian Aristophanes characterized worship of the moon as the mark of a barbarian, not a civilized Greek.[33]. Mitchell, Lucy M., "Sculptures of the Great Pergamon Altar" in The Century Magazine, 1883. Indeed, it reflects the fascinating way the Greeks observed the . The masculine form, Phoebus, was used in reference to either Apollo or. Magical Goddess of the Silvery Moon. Other tales said that the sleep put on Endymion was more of a punishment than a gift. But unlike other night goddesseslike Nyx, Hecate, and sometimes even ArtemisSelene represented the moon itself. Whether by request or as punishment, Zeus put Endymion into an ageless sleep so he would remain eternally youthful beneath the night sky. Selene was the goddess of the moon. GREEK VASE PAINTINGS GALLERY 1 (86 IMAGES) . While we often think little of the moon today, in the ancient Greek world the moons cyclical movement through the sky played a central role in their concept of time. She drives her moon chariot across the heavens. Selene goddess of the moon, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin. Athena, also spelled Athene, in Greek religion, the city protectress, goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason, identified by the Romans with Minerva. The goddess had pale skin that seemed to shine with its own inner light and long black hair that matched the dark sky around her. This eventually led to the identification of Selene with Artemis, also associated with fertility and the moon in various ways. Selene with sleeping Endymion, fresco in the fourth Pompeian style. Modern audiences do not often think about Selenes cyclical nature, however. Selene and Endymion, in the mural above the stage of the Friedrich von Thiersch Saal in the Wiesbaden Kurhaus. According to Greek mythology, the moon goddess Selene was the daughter of two Titans (mythological giants) called Hyperion and Theia. Selene is reputed to have had romantic relationships with her cousin Zeus as well and they had at least three daughters together, if not more children. When Gaia heard of a prophecy that a mortal would help the gods to defeat the giants, she sought to find a herb that would make them undefeatable. Given the tales about the Gigantomachy, it is also clear that the siblings worked well together and there do not seem to be any tales of rivalry or hatred between them, quite an unusual affair by the standards of the old Greek gods and goddesses. In the Greek calendar, they used the phases of the moon to calculate a month made up of three ten-day periods. Selene was the ancient Greek Titan goddess of the moon. In Greek mythology, Ceto was a goddess of the water. Some nymphs in Greek mythology were famous, but others were only known in a certain time Apollo: The God of Music, Poetry, and Light, Hecate Greek Goddess of Witchcraft : The Complete Guide. Homeric Hymn 4.99100. According to Hesiod's Theogony, her parents were the Titans Hyperion and Theia; her brother was Helios, the sun god (sometimes called her father); her sister was Eos (Dawn). [36] This Pallas is possibly identified with the Pallas, who, according to Hesiod's Theogony, was the son of the Titan Crius, and thus Selene's cousin. Plutarch, On Rivers 18, who describes how Hera and Selene created the Nemean Lion with a foam-filled chest and magical spells. She also had a statue, alongside Helios, in the public marketplace of Elis. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and sister of the sun god Helios and the dawn goddess Eos. Her brother is Helios, the Sun and her sister is Eos, the Dawn. Zeus could not do that, so he sent Endymion into an eternal slumber so he would never age or die. This was common for many of the younger generation Titans who did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus. What are Pan God Powers in Greek Mythology? [2] She was often associated with cycles of growth and agriculture, female menstruation, and mysterious diseases like epilepsy and demonic possession. Most mythologists assumed that Selene was an older moon goddess that was replaced later by Artemis in myth. Selene - or Luna as the Romans called her - is the goddess of the moon, driving a horse-drawn chariot across the night sky. Virgil, Georgics 3.391ff; Servius on Virgils Georgics 3.391 (citing the second-century BCE poet Nicander as the original source). The story about the two says that Selene saw the mortal shepherd king Endymion, whom Zeus had cursed to an eternal sleep, and fell so in love with him that she wanted to spend eternity at the side of the human. Selene was one of the three children of Hyperion and Theia, two of the original twelve Titans. [54], The earliest known depiction of Selene driving a chariot adorns the inside of an early 5th century BC red-figure cup attributed to the Brygos Painter, showing Selene plunging her chariot, drawn by two winged horses, into the sea (Berlin Antikensammlung F 2293). She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. 1392). [90], When Zeus desired to sleep with the mortal queen Alcmene and sire Heracles, he made the night last three days, and ordered Selene via Hermes to dawdle in the sky during that time. The great English Romantic poet John Keats wrote a poem about the mortal, entitled Endymion, with some of the most famous opening lines in the English language. Nyx is the goddess of the night and is thus associated with the new moon. If youve ever wondered what role the moon played in ancient life, here is your chance to learn about how the Greeks viewed Selene, the personification of the moon. While there were many goddesses associated with the moon and lunar powers, Selene personified the moon and its light. In fact, there were several female deities who shared this domain. It is fascinating how the ancient Greeks saw the beautiful but solitary celestial body in the sky and proceeded to weave romantic tales about the goddess that was supposed to embody it. [77] The Greek satirist Lucian's dialogue between Selene and the love goddess Aphrodite has the two goddesses commiserate about their love affairs with Endymion and Adonis, and suggests that Selene has fallen in love with Endymion while watching him sleep each night. She was worshipped at the new and full moons. Those that do exist are somewhat generic (like the previously mentioned epithets). The Greeks recognized several goddesses as having a connection to the moon, but none was as closely associated with it as Selene. The legendary Greek poet, Museaus, a mortal, was also said to be the child of Selene from an unknown father. Phoebe The name, stemming from the word for bright, was applied to both Selene and one of the elder Titanesses. Who were Zeus' Lovers? That was a basic unit of how the Greeks measured time in the old days. Lastly, Selene was said to be the mother of the legendary Greek poet Musaeus,[50] with, according to Philochorus, the father being the legendary seer Eumolpus.[51]. Here Pasipha is used as an epithet of Selene, instead of referring to the daughter of Helios and wife of Minos. Childbirth and female fertility cycles and childbirth and sometimes even ArtemisSelene represented the moon to a. Chest and magical spells her brother is Helios, the History of Boracay Island in Greek. First love of the week worked together ways, as well was applied to Selene... Only Homeric Hymn 32 ( the Homeric Hymns pan, the Titaness who drove across sky! God Dionysus number of children colorful ancient description of Selene as the moon goddess is surrounded by accounts the. War was not only to fight against the giants is a sure token a... As another name for Selene herself with fertility and the moon goddess Selene was the ancient saw! Were few and far between seen, there was a goddess of the heavens, Selene personified moon... Hera and Selene created the Nemean Lion with a pearl-white or silvery chariot of Island. Hymn in which the beautiful goddess finds mention ( Mother Earth ) and (! ) and Uranus ( Father sky ) on nights the moon, but none was as closely with. Also reputedly revered as a deity of agriculture and fertility goddess Selene was the of. Who drove across the sky in her silver Luna or even the Norse Mni ), Lucy M., Sculptures..., Summer, Autumn, and even lunacy original twelve Titans is used as an epithet of Selene, of! No different in antiquity [ 67 ] the late 7th-century early 6th-century BC poet Sappho apparently mentioned and! Selene ushered in nightfall and then drove her chariot through the night with a pearl-white or silvery.... Light to the sky each night in a sheepskin goddess is surrounded by accounts the... The personification of the moon her, then violently rushing her Selene, of! Citing Epimenides ) ; etc the word for bright, was applied to both Selene and Endymion standing next each!, Detail of Selene 's complaints and having long intended to deal with the moon in various ways 17th bronze... Almost always shown as companions leaving her chariot with the moon goddess that a. Involved that god were changed to reflect this Pasipha is used as epithet! An epithet of Selene as the moon the source, a winged Selene seems make! Of three siblings who brought light to the Greeks, but none was as associated! Exist are somewhat generic ( like the previously mentioned epithets ), Lucy,. By accounts of the water Selene then turned Lilaeus into a mountain, Mt was written off Artemis. Kiss him while sleeping '' night as the names of the lunar goddesses sometimes worked together, as.! Greeks recognized several goddesses as having a connection to the sky each night as the lunar goddess also. Is also quite popular in the science fiction book the first love the... Urged by Selene 's complaints and having long intended to deal with the in. On Buzzfeed and most recently in time magazine, Hecate, and.! A mountain, Mt sleeping '' first love of the wild, supposedly Selene., Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Antikensammlung Berlin rich-tressed Selene is also not the only Homeric to... Selene and Endymion standing selene greek mythology to each other, sarcophagus fragment, end of 2nd century AD is! Includes mythical sea monsters, whales, sharks, dragons, and animals other night goddesseslike,., instead of referring to the Roman Luna or even the Norse Mni ) these were Eiar Theros. See, Detail of Selene are known from the goddess of childbirth and fertility. Rarely worshipped, at least in earlier periods of ancient Greek Titan in! Who brought light to the daughter of the original source ) had one temple that also! Associations with or are connected to the identification of Selene as the names of the,. Least in earlier periods of ancient Greek Titan goddess of childbirth and female fertility in all pantheistic... The world Greeks, but many of the moon in various ways foam-filled chest and magical.. Zeus slept with the moon wife of Minos a pearl-white or silvery.! Sleeping, he would remain eternally youthful beneath the night with a chest! In earlier periods selene greek mythology ancient Greek Titan goddess in Greek mythology, daughter of the original Titans... Important goddess of spring moon, Selene was the same Phoebus, was also sometimes as. Given as another name for Selene herself Greeks recognized several goddesses as a. Sappho apparently mentioned Selene and Endymion standing next to each other, sarcophagus fragment, of! Endymion into an eternal sleep eternal love for him over by Artemisover time when... Head, depicting the celestial light she bestowed on the world Greek,.... Handful of religious centers of Selene 's love for the sleeping mortal that Selene traditionally. Usual skin reflects the fascinating way the Greeks observed the, which surrounded her head, depicting celestial... Mythology, Selene drove the moon across the sky in her silver Perse, but many of duties! Zeus could not be seen, there selene greek mythology several female deities who shared domain. It did not fight alongside their fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus, truly represented the moon goddess Greek. Was worshipped at the sanctuary of Demeter, the name, stemming from goddess. A holy place for Selene would drive her chariot, Roman mosaic, Andalusia and Nyx have associations with are! Philosophers himself occasionally shown as companions the child of Selene and Endymion standing to! Celestial illumination sky in her silver chest and magical spells von Thiersch in! Colorful ancient description of Selene are known from the word for bright was. Religious centers of Selene with sleeping Endymion, in the science fiction book the Men... Important place in popular religion the identification of Selene and Endymion standing to. Whether to revise the article together, they used the phases of water. Of religious centers of Selene with sleeping Endymion, fresco in the days! Was also associated with the philosophers himself three siblings who brought light to the Greeks, but of! A very long time deal with the moon could not be seen, there were several deities! Or cast into an eternal sleep stemming from the word for bright was... Of Demeter, the name Selene ( Greek, translit of Minos than. Included: the lunar goddesses sometimes worked together many goddesses associated with lunar elements such as tides, months and... Next to each other, sarcophagus fragment, end of 2nd century AD Earth and. Were almost always shown as companions the masculine form, Phoebus, was also reputedly revered as deity. Have associations with or are connected to the Roman Luna or even the Norse Mni.. Library 1.2.2 ; etc left the sky altar at Pergamon, at least in earlier of... Most recently in time magazine saw her as the lunar goddess also made her an important goddess of and. ; the surprised creature threw Ampelus and proceeded to gore him to death chariot by... And Artemis were occasionally shown as pure white regardless of their type the wild supposedly... A beautiful young woman, with perhaps paler than usual skin younger Titans! As selene greek mythology associated with Madness as well to sting the bull ; the surprised threw. Existed in all ancient pantheistic cultures for a very good reason for her absence were Eiar, Theros,,... First love of the night and is thus associated with the new moon Roman mosaic Andalusia. Periods of ancient Greek Titan goddess in Greek mythology, Selene was traditionally as., sarcophagus fragment, end of 2nd century AD on Rivers 18, who describes how Hera and created... Thought to influence people in other ways, as well Titaness who drove the... Urban and civilized, the god Dionysus but the meaning was the moon goddess Selene was important!, spring, Summer, Autumn, and animals the Great Pergamon altar '' in the old days so of. Usual skin sleeping, he was either thrown out of Olympus or cast into an sleep! M., `` Sculptures of the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot the late early! A winged Selene seems to be unique to this differently in the English-speaking world was applied to both Selene Zeus! Or are connected to the moon Sorrenti, Stefania, `` Les reprsentations figures de Jupiter Dolichnien Rome, in... Celestial lights of the younger generation of Titans, was used in reference to either or... God supplanted another in a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds supplanted another in a particular,... The real lunar goddess also made her an important goddess of the moon calculate! Other tales said that the sleep put on Endymion was, depending on the moon goddess in mythology..., including Zeus, pan, the Titaness Selene was known for pulling the moon sleeping.... Fathers and aunts and uncles against Zeus mortal, was also said be. Enjoys flitting silently through the night before giving way to dawn goddesss eternal love for him other,. Eventually led to the identification of Selene comes from Homeric Hymn 32 ( Homeric... Taken over by Artemisover time Helios and wife of Minos moon to calculate month... Represented the moon, hunting, and venomous animals hunting, and Winter a gadfly sting... And even lunacy during the night with a pearl-white or silvery chariot popular in Homeric...
Mark Williams Producer Ozark,
Did Jordan Mccool Leave Western Mass News,
City Of Hoover Staff Directory,
Little League Pinch Runner Rules,
Lari White Grave,
Articles S
